Design of short low speed Göttingen type wind tunnel: CFD simulation

Abstract

The paper is focused on design simulations by the means of commercial software for a low speed circuit wind tunnel with an open test section, recently built at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics and Materials Technology at THM University of Applied Sciences in Friedberg. The proposed wind tunnel has a test section with cross sectional area of 1 X 1 m2 and a length of 1.6 m. The maximum achievable speed is about 50 m/s with empty test section. The simulation had the target to propose and to verify various geometries - test chamber, tunnel contraction, diffuser etc. as well the tunnel corner including the vanes. In addition, the influence of the vanes number and their shape on the ventilator power needed and the flow velocity uniformity as well, have been subjects of the investigation. Also the ventilator type (rotational segment) impact on the flow pattern within the operational area has been scrutinized.